Giants (Action)

Attributes and Schticks

Body: 14-23
Mind: 4-8
Reflexes: 3-8
Move: 10

Description

Giants are an ancient race from the early days of the world. Although they are respected for their huge size and strength, they are increasingly outnumbered by the smaller races, and their cultures have declined to subsisting in the corners of the world. Most giants stay apart from humans from a sense of superiority to smaller races.

Appearance

Giants are huge humanoids, ranging from two and a half to five meters tall or even larger. They are somewhat more burly than humans for their length, with coloration and skin texture approximating the terrain they live in. Thus there are azure reef giants, dun-colored desert giants, white snow and cloud giants, deep green jungle giants and so on, all closely matched to their environments. Giants dress as archaic if civilized people. If they can afford it and have need of it, they wear arms and armor.

Role

All giants are traditionalists: they believe that there are proper ways of doing things, whether it be brewing tea, curing meat, negotiating a contract, or preparing a desert clan for battle. Not following giantish protocol is a serious breach of etiquette and often results in violent punishment or expulsion from the company of the giants, depending on the severity of the offense. Giants refuse to be rushed in anything, and they are supremely confident that their time honored methods are the best. Giants look to the past more than they look to the future.

Politics

Though giant nobles and kings exist, most giants live in isolated family households, paying ultimate allegiance to a giant noble but rarely meeting other giants outside the immediate family.

Giants, spirits, and gods do not get along, as giants refuse to give the spirits tribute or the gods sacrifice; nor will either acknowledge the others as superior beings. The clash of these proud groups has perhaps been responsible for the slow decline of the giants, though neither giants, gods, nor spirits talk much of the other two.

Integration

To get coveted metals and finished weapons, giants resort to many strategies: mercenary work, guiding caravans, guiding jungle hunts, and diving after sunken treasure. A few giants are willing to engage in trade to get various items such as coffee, cloth, and spices from other races. In exchange they offer rare furs and jungle flowers, riches from the sea, and opals or other gemstones taken from the deserts. A few exceptional giants take their skills to town and set up shop in the dwarf quarter. Generally only smaller giants will truly adapt to city life.

Family

Giants have great respect for family, and children often continue to live with their parents as adults. They are slow to find mates and settle on their own. As giants are long-lived creatures, this means giant children are a rare sight.

Vices

Giants are conservative to a fault, and tough they consider this a virtue, other races find them tedious and slow.